Prince Gibraltar seeking a return to winning form at Deauville

Prince Gibraltar seeking a return to winning form at

Deauville

After two eclipses at the highest level this year, Jean-Francois Gribomont's Prince Gibraltar

steps down a peg on Friday as he looks to get back on track in

Deauville's

Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano.

Third after being set a stern task from far back in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly

on June 1, the chestnut son of Rock of Gibraltar had no obvious excuse when a

short-neck second to Gallante in Longchamp's July 13 Grand Prix de Paris last

out. Racing without a penalty here despite his

earlier impressive successes in the Criterium International at

Saint-Cloud in November and May 3 Prix Greffulhe, he nevertheless faces an opponent of genuine merit in

Robin Geffen and Rachel Hood's Western Hymn.

That High Chaparral colt had the re-opposing Army Bulletin three lengths back in second in the

July 20 Prix

Eugene Adam at Maisons-Laffitte going Friday's 10-furlong trip, and is undefeated bar a sixth in the Epsom Derby on a track

that played against him.

Others who could play a hand are Sheikh Hamdan bin

Rashid Al Maktoum's Nolohay, who took a

July 3 course-and-distance conditions event but needs to settle better in his races, and OTI Management's and Alain Chopard's

dual Group 3 scorer Gailo Chop. Not seen since finishing fourth in the

July 5 Belmont Derby Invitational, he is back on his favored soft surface here.

Later on Deauville's Friday card, the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey presents an opportunity for the

three-year-old miling fillies to enjoy a class drop after tackling the major

European contests, and one who fits that criteria is Qatar Racing's Kiyoshi.

Winner of the Albany and placed twice at the top level at two, the Dubawi

lass failed to make an impact

in that sphere this season when 10th in the June 20 Coronation at Royal Ascot and

sixth in the July 11 Falmouth at Newmarket before finishing second in the July

25 listed

Valiant at Ascot.

The Wertheimers' Bawina is one who has not

enjoyed the best of fortunes in the highest class so far, with wide trips against her when

fourth in Longchamp's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches on May 11 and seventh in the Prix

de Diane at Chantilly on June 15. Judged on her latest

three-length score in the July 27 listed Prix de Bagatelle over Friday's

eight-furlong trip at Maisons-Laffitte, the homebred daughter of Dubawi is more than

capable of winning a contest like this.

In a typically competitive

renewal, that also applies to His Highness The Aga Khan's Visoriyna after her win in the

June 21 listed Prix la Sorellina over this trip at La Teste de Buch.

One who already

has a Group 3 to her name is Sir Robert Ogden's Prestige scorer Amazing Maria. Her sole

effort this year was a last-place finish in the Epsom Oaks, but that

was her comeback run at a time when the Ed Dunlop stable was

still in the doldrums.

"This looks a very competitive race with some highly

rated French horses entered," Dunlop said. "Gerald Mosse is booked on Amazing Maria and has won on her before. I'm

hoping she likes the ground and I also hope to see the true filly that we saw last year."

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com